Levels of circulating mast cell progenitors and tumour-infiltrating mast cells in patients with colorectal cancer

The role of mast cells in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been an area of intense interest. Mast cell density is closely related to CRC development and prognosis. The identification of mast cell progenitors (MCps) in peripheral blood provides an opportunity to explore the frequency and distribution of mast cells in the circulation and tumour microenvironment of patients with CRC at different disease stages. The aim of the presents study was to investigate the changes of MCps and mast cells in CRC. Flow cytometry was used to measure the circulating frequency of MCps in 37 patients with CRC and 12 healthy control (HC) patients, and the frequency of mast cells in tissue from 15 patients with CRC and 7 patients with haemorrhoids. In the present study, lower levels of circulating MCps in patients with CRC were found, which was significantly related to CRC development. After surgery, the frequency of circulating MCps was significantly increased. However, the frequency of mast cells in tumour tissues was lower than that in adjacent normal tissues and compared with HC tissues and was not associated with CRC progression.